Rethinking Rahm Emanuel's Mandatory Student Service
By Nikki Schwab, Washington Whispers
In 2006, former Clinton staffers Bruce Reed and Rahm Emanuel penned the book The Plan: Big Ideas for America, which among other things proposed that 18-to-25-year-old Americans do three months of mandatory civilian service for their country. "We certainly caught a lot of grief from the left and the right on that idea," Reed says. "But luckily, nobody has ever won a name-calling contest with Rahm." Now with his pal Emanuel in the White House as chief of staff, Reed has pinpointed an area where some sort of mandated service might work—in exchange for student aid. "If the government is going to be spending money on solving problems, should it be asking something of citizens in return?" asked Reed at a recent conference called by the Hudson Institute's Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal. "If we're going to provide a lot of money for college aid, should we be saying, 'OK, you can borrow money from the government for as long as you want, you don't have to get a degree, just borrow it, we're fine,' or should we say, 'Look, this society owes you help to get ahead, but you owe something back'?"
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Tags: Rahm Emanuel
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Reader Comments
To D.R. of N.Y.
You think it's a good thing, then DO IT! Organize, volunteer, wonderful! My son is involved in all this stuff in high school, and will be in college. National Honor Society, Mentors in Violence Prevention, Students Reaching Out, etc. Sooper! But it's becuase he CHOOSES to do these things, not because he is compelled by a gov't that took our hard-earned $$$$$'s, borrowed from the Fed against my son's future, and is now holding it for ransom. And none of the situations you describe would be helped by this "service"- it is not a "Corps". They are out there- Volunteer!
Here's an idea for you, Rahm
How about instead of the government giving me stuff I do not want and did not ask for, and then demanding that I somehow OWE them for it...the government just dismantles all these stupid programs, saves some money, and doesn't have to worry about forcing people to do anything?
This ought be repugnant to all liberty-loving people. He's creating a "forced patriotism" scheme here, and like all times when force is used...you're into dealing with slaves.
"Patriotism ... is a superstition artificially created and maintained through a network of lies and falsehoods; a superstition that robs man of his self-respect and dignity, and increases his arrogance and conceit." - Emma Goldman
LIBERTY
This country was founded on ideas of great men. These ideas included THE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR OWN LIFE, the ability to pursue liberty as one sees fit for him/herself, NOT as the government mandates it. I agree that most Americans are lazy, they don't want to help unless it helps themselves. I DO NOT agree that government mandating labor or any type of service is beneficial to the pursuit of personal liberty, or is constitutionally backed by ANY DEGREE. People should want to help, not be forced.
Here comes the revolution.....
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